TEEN CLEARED OF MURDER OF WATFORD’S AQEEL KHAN

A teenager was today found not guilty of murdering 18-year-old Aqeel Khan last August on a housing estate in West Watford. The 17-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was acquitted of the murder at Luton Crown Court at the end of a week long trial. The youth had pleaded not guilty to murdering Aqeel on the afternoon of August 22 last year in Croxley View on the Holywell Housing Estate. Aqeel died from a single stab wound, which entered his back between his shoulder blades, piercing his left lung and causing damage to a major artery, from which he bled to death. During the trial, the prosecution had alleged that there was bad feeling between the accused and at least two other young men. On the afternoon of August 22 last year, he clashed with a group of young men outside a parade of shops in Tolpits Lane. As violence flared, it was claimed the boy then ran into Croxley View, where he was pursued by a number of young men, including Aqeel. Moments later, Aqeel – who had been leading the chase – slumped to the ground from a stab wound. He was rushed to Watford General Hospital, but medical staff were unable to save him. The teenager who was on trial elected not to give evidence to the jury, but the court was told that when he was arrested late on the day of August 22 last year, he claimed he had not been responsible for Aqeel’s death, had not been present when he was stabbed and didn’t know who had stabbed him.